i have a hp laptop which i use to watch programmes on using bbc i player. Is it possible to connect the laptop so i can view the programmes through the tv? Which lead would i need?
You just need to check that both your laptop and your TV have an HDMI port (a bit bigger than a USB port) and then you can get an HDMI cable to connect the two. You can get them for under a tenner.
Usually it'll be Monitor Output/Input, which is the 15-pin VGA connection.
If you're lucky you might have HDMI on both. Some HD TVs have a monitor socket as not all computers output HDMI but all computers output VGA.
Or you might find S-Video on both but this does not transmit audio.
If you find no matching connections then you'll need a converter unit (they can usually convert VGA into SCART and phono outputs, and some will convert to HDMI).